River Fishing

The Lillooet River contains rainbow and bull trout, Dolly Varden (char), as well as chinook (also known as tyee, spring or king) chum, and coho (silvers) salmon. Bridge River and the muddier Fraser River are both home to chinook, the largest salmon species. In the fall, sockeye salmon are found in Bridge River, while in winter, steelhead are common. The best fishing is before and after the spring/summer melts (June to August).

Lake and Creek Fishing

Lillooet has lakes with good salmon and trout fishing. The Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park route from Mount Currie to Lillooet runs past many of these lakes. Seton Lake stretches for 27km/17mi and is mere minutes from Lillooet. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout, lake trout and Dolly Varden. Fishing is especially good near the mouth of the lake-feeding creeks. Cast a line near Ohlin, Tsee, Puck, Machute and Madeline creeks.

Fountain Lake is stocked with rainbow trout and has four wilderness recreation campsites available, one on each side of the lake. All campsites have basic amenities and boat launch access to the lake. Gas-powered motorboats are not permitted.

At Anderson Lake, west of Lillooet, rock cliffs descend directly to the shoreline limiting access to the lake. However, there are two shoreline access areas. At the northern end of the lake is a boat launch beside the village, Seton Portage, where there is good fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.

Sturgeon Fishing

The Fraser River at Lillooet is home to the mighty sturgeon, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Sturgeon can grow to more than 3m/10ft in length. As such, the right equipment is definitely needed to land one. It is important to note that the sturgeon fishery is catch and release only, so bring a camera with to record the haul.

During the summer, Lillooet hosts the Annual Sturgeon Fishing Derby. This is serious fishing combined with serious fun! But don’t let the fun distract – the 2008 winning sturgeon was more than 2.4m/8ft long. Lillooet has a number of other fishing derbies during the summer months, and several local accommodations feature guided fishing opportunities.

For more information river and lake access, local fishing guides, salmon spawning channel tours, and fishing derbies, stop by the Lillooet Visitor Centre.